FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Everything worth knowing about disposable email and how TempMail works — answered honestly.
What is temporary email?
Temporary email (also called temp mail, disposable email, or a throwaway address) is a free inbox you can use for a short time and then discard. You receive a confirmation link or one-time code, read it in your browser, and never think about the address again — no signup, no password.
How does temporary email work?
You generate an address, paste it into any form that asks for email, and mail sent to it is routed to a real inbox on our servers. We clean each message, store it briefly, and show it to you in your browser within seconds. The inbox refreshes on its own.
How do I create a temporary email address?
You don't have to do anything — an address is ready the moment you open the home page or the email generator. Use the Change button to pick a custom name or a different domain, or Refresh to roll a brand-new random one.
Do I need to register or sign in?
No. Receiving mail needs no account at all. Signing in is optional and only exists for saving inboxes and future Premium features.
Is it really free?
Completely. There's no payment and no limit on how many addresses you generate. The site is supported by ads and, in the future, an optional Premium plan.
How long does a temporary email address last?
A standard address expires after about 24 hours of inactivity and stops receiving mail; using it extends that window. Want something shorter? 10 Minute Mail self-destructs on a live countdown.
Can I receive OTP and verification codes?
Yes — that's the most common use. Email-based one-time codes and verification links arrive within seconds, and we detect the code and show it at the top of the inbox so you can copy it in one tap.
Can I send emails?
No. The service is receive-only by design. You can receive messages and codes, but you can't send mail from a temporary address.
Can I receive attachments?
We'll show you when a message includes an attachment, but we don't store or serve the attachment files themselves — only the message text and cleaned HTML. For anything that relies on downloading a file, use a regular inbox.
Can I choose my address or domain?
Yes. Use Change to set a custom local-part (the part before the @) and pick from the available domains. Rotating to a different domain also helps if a site has blocked one of them.
Are temporary emails private?
They're private in the way that matters most day to day: the address carries none of your personal details and keeps signups and marketing off your real inbox. It is not a tool for anonymity, though — see the next question.
Can a temporary email be traced back to me?
The address itself points nowhere, since it isn't linked to your name, phone, or real inbox. But like any website, we and your network provider can see connection data such as IP addresses, so it isn't a guarantee of anonymity.
Can someone else read my inbox?
Only the browser that created an address holds its secret access token, and that token is required to read the mail. No one else can open your inbox. Still, treat disposable inboxes as public and never use them for sensitive accounts.
What information does TempMail collect?
As little as possible: the address, its secret token, and the messages sent to it. We don't ask for personal details to receive mail. IP addresses are used transiently for rate limiting. Full details are on the Privacy page.
Are my messages stored, and for how long?
Messages are stored only so we can display them to you. When you delete an address, generate a new one, or a 10-minute inbox expires, that address and its messages are removed. An inbox that just expires from inactivity stops receiving mail, but its data may remain until deleted — so use Delete if you want it gone immediately.
What happens when an inbox expires?
It stops receiving new mail. A new address is generated for you (instantly for 10 Minute Mail), so you're never left without one. Mail sent to the old address after it expires won't appear.
Can I recover an expired inbox?
No. Once an address is deleted or has expired, it can't be restored, and neither can its messages. If you need lasting access, use your real email or add one to the account afterwards.
Why haven't I received my verification email?
Usually it's a short delivery delay (give it up to a minute), the site sent the code by SMS instead of email, the address was mistyped, or the site blocked the disposable domain. Generating a fresh address on a new domain fixes most cases.
Why does a website reject my temporary email?
Some services block known disposable domains to fight spam accounts. Because our addresses rotate across multiple domains, generating a new one often gets you an unblocked domain that goes through.
Can I use temporary email for banking or important accounts?
No — don't. Temporary inboxes are public and short-lived, so they're wrong for banking, healthcare, government services, or any account you need to recover later. Use your real email for anything you'd be upset to lose.
Is opening messages safe?
Yes. Every message is sanitized on our server with HTMLPurifier and rendered inside a sandboxed frame with scripting disabled, so scripts and tracking pixels can't run on your device. As always, don't act on suspicious links from senders you don't recognize.
Does TempMail show ads or use analytics?
Yes. The free service is supported by Google AdSense, and we use Google Analytics to understand aggregate traffic. Both use cookies; you can control ad personalization in Google's ad settings. See the Privacy page for details.